LockBit is a cybercriminal group proposing ransomware as a service (RaaS). Software developed by the group (also called ransomware) enables malicious actors who are willing to pay for using it to carry out attacks in two tactics where they not only encrypt the victim's data and demand payment of a ransom, but also threaten to leak it publicly if their demands are not met. LockBit operates using an affiliate-based ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) model in which core developers maintain the malware, payment infrastructure and data leak sites, while affiliates are responsible for gaining initial access to victim networks and conducting lateral movement and data exfiltration. This division of roles enables scalable operations and has contributed to the group’s high incident volume across multiple sectors. Observed intrusion methods include the use of compromised credentials, exploitation of public-facing services and initial access brokers. In addition to encrypting systems, LockBit attacks commonly involve the exfiltration of sensitive data and deliberate efforts to locate and disable backup systems and shadow copies, increasing the complexity and duration of recovery for affected organizations. According to a joint statement by various government agencies, LockBit was the world's most prolific ransomware in 2022. It was estimated in early 2023 to be responsible for 44% of all ransomware incidents globally. In the United States between January 2020 and May 2023, LockBit was used in approximately 1,700 ransomware attacks, with US$91 million paid in ransom to hackers. Government agencies did not formally attribute the group to any nation-state. Software with the name "LockBit" appeared on a Russian-language based cybercrime forum in January 2020. The group is financially motivated. However, in an interview on Inside Darknet, members claimed they are not Russian. In February 2024, law enforcement agencies seized control of LockBit dark web sites used for attacks. However, further attacks with LockBit ransomware were later reported, with the group attempting to perform a comeback. In May 2025, the LockBit ransomware group's infrastructure was breached and defaced. The data breach resulted in a data dump, exposing Bitcoin wallet addresses, public encryption keys, internal chat logs with victims, affiliate details, and other sensitive information.
Description LockBit software, written in the C and C++ programming languages until .NET was used for the LockBit-NG-Dev under development at takedown in 2024, gains initial access to computer systems using purchased access, unpatched vulnerabilities, insider access, and zero-day exploits, in the same way as other malware. LockBit then takes control of the infected system, collects network information, and steals and encrypts data. Demands are then made for the victim to pay a ransom for their data to be decrypted so that it is again available, and for the perpetrators to delete their copy, with the threat of otherwise making the data public. (While the data are not published if the ransom is paid, it was found when LockBit was taken down by law enforcement that it had not been deleted.) LockBit gained attention for its creation and use of the malware called "StealBit", which automates transferring data to the intruder. This tool was introduced with the release of LockBit 2.0, which has fast and efficient encryption capabilities. To expand their reach, LockBit also released Linux-ESXI Locker version 1.0, targeting Linux hosts, particularly VMware ESXi servers. LockBit recruits affiliates and develops partnerships with other criminal groups. They hire network access brokers, cooperate with organizations like Maze, and recruit insiders from targeted companies. To attract talented hackers, they have sponsored underground technical writing contests. LockBit has targeted various industries globally, however, healthcare and education sectors are the biggest victims. According to Trend Micro, in terms of attack attempts, United States, India and Brazil are the top targeted countries. LockBit is efficient and adaptable: they emphasize their malware's speed and capabilities to attract victims. They take external factors like data privacy laws into consideration when targeting potential victims. LockBit's success also relies heavily on their affiliate program, which helps them innovate and compete in the ransomware landscape. On its site on the dark web, LockBit stated that it was "located in the Netherlands, completely apolitical and only interested in money".
Techniques and tactics LockBit operators frequently gain initial access by exploiting vulnerable Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) servers or compromised credentials purchased from affiliates. Initial access vectors also include phishing emails with malicious attachments or links, brute-forcing weak RDP or VPN passwords, and exploiting vulnerabilities such as CVE-2018-13379 in Fortinet VPNs. Once installed, LockBit ransomware is often executed in Microsoft Windows via command-line arguments, scheduled tasks, or PowerShell scripts such as PowerShell Empire. LockBit uses tools such as Mimikatz, GMER, Process Hacker, and registry edits to gather credentials, disable security products, and evade defenses. It enumerates network connections to identify high-value targets such as domain controllers using scanners such as Advanced Port Scanner. For lateral movement, LockBit spreads through SMB file-sharing connections inside networks, using credentials gathered earlier. Other lateral movement techniques include distributing itself via compromised Group Policy objects, or using tools such as PsExec or Cobalt Strike. LockBit's ransomware payload encrypts files and network shares using AES and RSA encryption. It encrypts only the first few kilobytes of each file for faster processing, and adds a ".lockbit" extension. LockBit then replaces the desktop wallpaper with a ransom note; it can also print ransom notes to attached printers. The goal is to extort payment of a ransom to reverse system disruption and restore file access.
History LockBit malware was previously known as ".abcd", after the file extension that was added to encrypted files as they were made inaccessible. LockBit was first observed in September 2019.
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